Adjustable railing



Feb. 28, 1967 G. E. GREEN 3,306,586

ADJUSTABLE RAILING Filed July 13, 1965 INVENTOR GEORGE E. GREEN 6 BY W I I A TTORNEY United States Patent ()fifice 3,306,586 Patented Feb. 28, 1967 3,306,586 ADJUSTABLE RAILING George E. Green, Baltimore County, Md. (Long Green Pike, Glen Arm, Md. 21234) Filed July 13, 1965, Ser. No. 471,598 1 Claim. (Cl. 256-73) The present invention relates to assembled railings,

and in particular to the adjustable type adapted to be installed about balconies, porches, steps, etc.

One object of the invention is to provide an assembled railing that may be used equally as well on a flat, or on an inclined surface.

Another object of the invention is to provide an assembled railing which may be easily installed by other than skilled labor.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a railing that is strong and durable.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a railing in which it is not necessary to bend certain parts of the railing when placing the railing on an inclined surface.

While several objects of the invention have been set forth, other objects, uses and advantages will become more apparent as the nature of the invention is more fully disclosed, consisting of its novel construction and combination of its several parts as shown in the accompanying drawings and specifically described in the following specifications.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective illustrating the railing when used both on a level and on an inclined run.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view through one of the uprights and the top and bottom rail.

FIGURE 3 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 2 showing the top and bottom rails running perpendicular to the upright.

FIGURE 4 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation showing the top and bottom rails running angularly to the upright.

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 4 in which the top and bottom rails are angled in the opposite direc tion to that shown in FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 66 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 7 of FIGURE 4.

In referring to the drawings, like reference characters are used to designate like and similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the form shown in FIGURES 1 to 7, there is provided a top rail A, a bottom rail B, and a plurality of upright members C. These rail members A and B are formed of rigid channel stock, usually of iron, but may be of any suitable rigid material. Both rails are formed of substantially the same type of stock.

The top rail A is formed with a flat web portion 10 and has two side flange portions 10' and 10".

The bottom rail B is formed with a flat web portion 12 and has two side flange portions 12 and 12".

The upright members C are usually of solid square or rectangular stock, and are all of substantially the same length. The upper end of the upright is preferably rounded on one side, as shown at 14. The upper end may also be rounded on both sides as shown at 15. The upright is pivotally connected to the side portions 10' and 10" by a pin 16. The upright member C has provided adjacent its upper end a hole 18 slightly larger than or of the same size as the pin 16 in order that the member C may be rotatably supported on the pin 16. The flanges 10 and 10 are also provided with openings 20 which are drilled to receive the pin 16 as a press fit in order that the pins 16 are fixed to the side walls 10 and 10".

The uprights C are connected with the bottom rail 12 in substantially the same manner. The pin 22 ex tends between the side members 12 and 12" and through the lower end of the upright C similar to that described for the upper end.

The upper surface 12 of the lower rail member is provided with a rectangular opening 24 through which the upright C extends.

The preferred type of structure is shown in FIGURES 3 and 4. In this form the upright member contacts one edge 24 of the opening 24 when the upright member is in a position perpendicular to the rails.

However, the construction may be as shown in FIG- URES 5 and 7. With this form the railing may be angled in either direction wherein, the upper end of the member C is rounded as shown at 15 in FIGURE 5, and the slot 24 is extended, as shown at 25 in FIGURE 5, on both sides of the pin 26 securing the upright member to the bottom rail, while the form shown in FIG- URES 3 and 4 are movable only in one direction. However, this form shown in FIGURES 3 and 4 does have the advantage that when the upright members C are moved until they contact the ends 24 of the cut out portions 24, the uprights are automatically perpendicular to the rail members, and are in position to be installed on a level surface.

The railing is installed by securing the same to end posts, as shown at 28, 29 and 30, which are secured to a supporting element, wherein the railing is rigid and secure.

While the invention has been shown and described in a particular form, it is not intended as a limitation as the scope of the invention is best defined in the appended claim.

I claim:

An adjustable railing comprising:

a top rail of channel cross section having a flat top web portion and two downwardly directed side flanges,

a bottom rail of channel cross-section having a flat top web portion and two downwardly directed side flanges,

a plurality of upright members extending between the top and bottom rails, each upright member having an upper end portion positioned between the flanges of the top rail and an end surface in close proximity to the web portion of the top rail,

a pin extending through said flanges and through the upper end portion of each upright member, each of said upper end portions having a curved surface between its end surface and one side of the upright member and concentric with said pin, whereby said upright member may pivot with respect to said rail in one direction,

said bottom rail having a plurality of openings through the flat web portion thereof, each upright member extending through one of said openings and having a lower end portion positioned between the flanges of said bottom rail,

a pin extending through the flanges of said bottom rail and through each of the lower end portions of the upright members,

each of said openings in the bottom rail being of greater dimension longitudinally of the bottom rail than the transverse dimension of the upright member extending therethrough,

0 a each said pin extending through the flanges of said bottom rail and each upright member positioning the latter adjacent one end of each Opening considered lengthwise of the rail with the greater portion of the opening positioned on that side of the upright member opposite the side having the curved surf-ace at its upper end, whereby each upright member may pivot with respect to the bottom rail in the same direction that said upright member may pivot with respect to the said top rail.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Hughes 25665 X Winston 25622 Lapp et al. 25665 X Kools 256-21 Bastia 25624 X HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner. 10 D. L. TAYLOR, Assistant Examiner. 

